Influence of cutting parameters and material properties on cutting temperature when turning stainless steel

Cutting temperature is one of the most relevant aspects of machining operations, since it influences tool life. The feed, the cutting speed, the depth of cut and the workpiece material are some of the most important factors that affect the cutting temperature. In this study an empirical relationship between cutting parameters such as: cutting speed, feed, depth of cut as well as maximum strength and thermal conductivity of different stainless steels, on the cutting temperature is presented. Experiments were conducted on AISI 304, AISI 316L and AISI 420 steels during a turning process. For the measurement of the cutting temperature the “Tool- Piece-Thermopair” method was used and the design of experiments was based on the factorial design method. Results showed that the cutting temperature increases when the values of cutting speed, feed, depth of cut, and material maximum strength are increased and that the cutting temperature decreases with the increase of material’s thermal conductivity, being this last variable the one that showed most influence on the cutting temperature.